Mechanism for extracting the rewind shaft from a core of a rewound roll and inserting this shaft into the core of a roll to be rewound



Dec. 4, 1956 B. LENZ 2,772,838

MECHANISM FOR EXTRACTING THE REWIND SHAFT FROM A CORE OF A REWOUNDROLL'AND INSERTING THIS SHAFT INTO THE CORE OF A ROLL To BE REWOUND 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 3, 1953 Z:ZZ v e nion .i'bWJ Dec. 4, 1956 B.LENZ 2,772,

. MECHANISM FOR EXTRACTING THE REWIND SHAFT FROM A com:

OF A aswouun ROLL. AND INSERTING THIS SHAFT m'ro THE com: OF A ROLL TOBE; REWOUND Filed Nov. 3, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 -Inve.ni0r

Dec. 4, 1956 B. LEN 2,772,

MECHANISM FOR EXTRACTING THE R IND SHAFT FROM A com:

OF A REWOUND ROLL. AND INSERTING THIS SHAFT INTO THE CORE OF A ROLL TOBE REWO UND 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 3, 1953 to I121) 6127601 UnitedStates Patent .0

Bernhard Lenz, Dusseldorf, Germany, assignor of onehalf toJagenberg-Werke Akt.-Ges., Dusseldorf, Germany Application November 3,1953, Serial No. 389,977

8 Claims. (Cl. 24255) The present invention relates broadly to the artof winding material on reels.

. More particularly, it relates to a mechanism for withdrawing andinserting reel bars or shafts in the cores of reels. p 1

In the art relating to web-slitting and rewinding machines, particularlymachines in which the axial extent 'of a reel produced results in arather wide and therefore heavy reel, the completely rewound reel willgenerally be removed from its working position and through suitablemechanism, usually lowering means, deposited upon the floor or asuitable place so that it may be removed from the vicinity of therewinding machine for further treatment. 7

It is customary in such machines that the material under considerationsuch as paper or cloth, is wound upon a tubular fiber core that issupported during winding by a rod or bar constituting a central reelshaft or bar. Before the rewound reel is moved away from the vicinity ofthe rewinding machine, the reel bar :that is at that time present withinthe core of the rewound reel and which is to be used in guiding, thenext reel during "its rewinding operation, must be removed from the coreof the rewound reel and manipulated so as to be placed in readiness forthe rewinding of the next reel.

Extraction of the reel bar from a rewound reel and inserting it into thecore for the subsequent rewinding of another reel entails considerableelfort and loss of time on the part of the attendants of the machine andin some instances, due to reels of extremely large axial extent and theheaviness of the reel bars, the attendants'are unduly multiplied andmore time is lost. It has been proposed to utilize liftingmechanismsdisposed above the rewind ing machine to handle the reel bars, howeverthe utilization of such mechanism does not eliminate the cooperationofthe attendants and the dexterity of the attendants determines thespeed of manipulation of the reel gbars. Additionally,;when suchjlifting mechanism is utilized, if-it -ha sbeen structurallyconnected with the rewinding machine, while it is not in operation itwill bean obstacle to theattendantsof the rewinding machine;Consequently, the present invention has for an object to provide acompact mechanism for extracting a reel bar from the tubular core of arewound reel and for inserting this'reel bar into-the core of a reel tobe rewound. It is a' further object of this invention to provide suchmechanism which is cooperatively associated with means for lowering arewound reel to the position from which it will be removed from thevicinity of the machine so that the structural disposition of componentswill occupy:

a minimumof space and consequently notencumber the attendants of therewinding machine.

Specifically, the invention has for an object to provide a mechanism forextracting a reel bar from the core of a wound reel and reinserting thisbar into the core of a -reel to be rewound in which extracting means aremovand also axially of the reel bar during extraction and in whichthemovement of the extracting means in said first mentioned plane disposesthe extracted reel bar in alignment with a tubular core and meanssupporting the same so that retrograde axial movement of the extractingmeans inserts the reel bar in an empty core.

Therefore, this invention specifically incorporates mechanism inassociation witha web-slitting and rewinding machine in which theoperation of extracting or pulling out the reel bar from a finishedrewound reel, the insertion of that bar into the tubular core of a reelto be rewound and the disposition of the prepared reel bar and core intoits working position, will be performed automatically under the controlof an attendant. Specifica y, the invention includes an arrangement inwhich the finished rewound reel after removal from its working position,will be lowered by a suitable means onto the floor and during thissequence of movement, the end of the reel bar which projects from thecore will engage what is termed a gripping supportand which support willbe moved axially to extract the bar from the tubular core. Afterextraction, the support will be moved back toward the working orrewinding position so as to dispose the free end of the reel bar intoposition to be inserted into another core. The insertion of the reelbar, held'by the gripping support, will be performed by reversing theaxial movement so that upon subsequent release of the gripping end ofthe bar,- suitable conveying means willplace the bar'enveloped inthe newcore into working position. 7 7

An embodiment of the mechanism for manipulating reel bars will bedescribed in detail hereinafter in connection with the accompanyingdrawings in which:

Figure l is a side view of the mechanism for manipulating the reel barillustrating the gripping of the free end of the reel bar by thegripping support,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view of the machine incorporating theinvention in elevation and as viewed fromthe right in Figure l,

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 by illustrating the reel barcompletely extracted from the tubular core,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view and on a slightly enlarged scale of thehandling or conveying means for transporting the core and inserted reelbar back to working position,

Figure 5 is a front view of the arrangement shown in Figure 4,

Figures 6-11 are diagrammatic views of difierent positiops of theoperating elements during one cycle.

. While the drawings illustrate the invention particularly as applied tothe machine known as a slitting or'rewindin'g machine, it is to beunderstood that 'the mechanism for manipulating reel bars hereinaftersetforth is applicable to any instance in which a bar must be removedfrom a reel, drum or the like and reinserted into another reel, drum orthe like. V

t In Figure l, the rewound reel 1 denoted diagrammatically by ,thechainlines is supported after the rewinding operation has been finishedon the double bearing drums 2 and 3 of a web-slitting and rewindingmachine, not shown. After rewinding, the reel 1 would 'be removed by anysuitable ejecting mechanism such as a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinderand piston arrangement diagrammatically denoted at 4 and passed over astationary support member 5 onto a lowering means. The lowering meansincludes a plurality of support bars, one of which is denoted at 7.These bars can be rocked about center of rotation 6 and in this workingmovement, the reel 1 will be let down onto the floor to the positionshown in full lines in the figure. Upon the lowering movement of thereel 1, the flanged end 8 of the reel bar 9 will be Patented Dec. 4,1956' 3 engaged by the gripping support 10, Figure 1, that isstationaryat this time. This gripping support 10 is car.-. ried on arocking arm 11 whose center of rotation is also the center of rotationof the lowering means. The rocking arm11 is fixed on a shaft 12 whichisaxially movable within the hollow shaft 13.bearing the lowering meansor bars 7'. The axial movement of shaft 12 and thereby of the grippingsupport 10, effects a complete. withdrawal or extraction of reel bar 9from reel 1, Figure 3. It is therefore clear that when the shaft 12 isrotated through gears 14 and 15 bya suitable; means not shown, the arm11 and support 10 will be swung about the center of. rotation 6 in thedirection of the arrow in Figure 1 to move the reel bar 9. In order thatthe reel bar 9 can be supported after extraction from the reel 1, abearinglbracket 16 is carried by an arm 17 mounted to swing with shaft12. In this way the free or inner end. of reel bar 9 is eflicientlysupported during-rocking movement of arm 11 and thus the swingingmovement of the reel. bar.

In order to maintain the shaft 12. properly supported relative to hollowshaft 13 during the axial extension of shaft 12, a suitable wheel. baseis provided which includes a bearing 22fwithin which shaft 12isrotatable and supporting castors or wheels. 21. The motor 23is fixedon the bearing 22 driving the wheels 21 over worm gear 24 and gears 25',26, 27. In the present instance the clutch 29, operated by hand lever28, starting the axial movement of the shaft 12, is interposed betweenthe motor 23 and the gears 24 to 27. The clutch 29 may also be operated,and thus the axial movement of the shaft 29 be released, automaticallyby any electrical means. according to conventional methods.

After the rocking arm 11 has been swung to the dotted line position ofFigure l, the reel bar 9 is then in alignment. with an empty tubularcore 19 lying on a: channelshaped. support 18, Figure 5. Upon retrogradeaxial movement of shaft 12, the reel bar 9 is inserted into core 19. 'Atthe completion of this insertion movement, the rocking levers 20, one ofwhich is at' each end of the machine to support the core at'oppositeends, are actuated by the pressure cylinders 30 to lift the cone andinserted reel bar upwardly off of support 18 to a position aboveintermediate support member so that the core and inserted reel bar canroll down or be otherwise moved down into position forthe commencementof a new winding op.- eration. As indicated'in the drawing, the rockinglevers 20uare channel or of angleshape to provide adequate support. I

The gripping support includes outer wall 10 and a somewhat slottedarrangement to cooperate Withihfi' flanged end or head..8 of the reelbar. It is believed clear from consideration of Figures 1 and 5 that thebase or end wall of gripping support 10 that is denoted at 10 is turnedupwardly at its opposite ends. This is such that when the shaft 11 ismoved in a position where it is perpendiciular to thefloor, the ejectingmotion of reel 1 will cause the head 8, to enter'hetween the ends a andb ofthe base 10", whereupon this base constitutes an abutment and ineffect sockets the head 8. of the reel bar so that subsequentmovement ofthe reel to the full line position in Figure 1 rocks arm 11 to the fullline position in that figure. At this time, the arm 11 is moved axiallyto the left in the direction of the arrow in Figure 2 to ex tract thereel bar. After the reel bar has been extracted and another core 19laidin channel shaped support 18,

the shaft 12 is rotated to the left since it is splined to and V axiallymovable through gear 14, to the dotted line posi tion in Figure 1.During this movement, the reel bar Will move alonga base -10" until itis held by the curved end a. The movement to the left of shaft 12 androekerarmll deposits. the reel bar 9 to a position in alignment withcore 19, whereupon reverse axial movement of shaft 12.. After the barhas been inserts the reel bar into this core. inserted in core 19,piston cylinder arrangements denoted at 30 are actuated to move. supportlevers 20 upwardly."

This movement of the support levers lifts the reel bar clear i 4 of thegripping support 10 so that the reel bar and core can. move to the.left. as shown in Figure 4 to. a position in readiness for a new windingoperation.

To show the operating method more clearly the sequence of the variousmovements is shown diagrammatically by Figures 611. Figure 6 shows therewound reel 1 ready for the push out on the bearing drums, 2 whilst thelowering means or bars 7 are in a horizontal position and the rockingarm 11 is swung out so far that the gripping supports 10 cannot collidewith that part of the reel bar 9 extending from the rewound reel 1. Byoperating the. piston arrangement 4.the reel 1 is pushed from thebearing drums 2 as shown by Figure 7 over the support member 5 onto thelowering means 7 while the rocking arm 11 is simultaneously lifted tosuch-an extent that the support 10 grips the flanged end 8 of the reelbar. That is the position shown in Fig. 8 when the axial movement of theshaft 12 with the rocking arm 11 and gripping support 10 is started; bywhich the reel bar 9 is placed before the open end of the empty tubularcore 19 which has meanwhile been placed onto the support, levers 20. Byanother axial movement of the rocking arm. 11 and reel bar 9, now in theopposite direction, the reel bar ispushed into the core 19 as shown inFig. 9. By operating the piston cylinder arrangements 30 the reel bar 9with cores 19 is lifted whereby the end 8 of the reel bar 9 is takenfromthe gripping support ltl. While the reel bar 9 with the core 19rolls into the winding drum valley for the new. winding operation (Fig.10) the rocking arm 11 swings back to the right and the lowering meansof bars. 7 assume their horizontal position again after the finishedreel 1 has been removed (Fig. 11). Thus all operating members haveresumed the initial position shown in Fig. 6: waiting for the next reelbar exchange.

What is claimed is: p

1 In a Winding machine of the type in which a reel wound upon'a tubularcore is moved from a working position to a supported position prior to.removal from the machine, mechanism mounted intermediate the twopositionsffor extracting a reel bar from a core of a wound reel andinserting it into the core of a reel to be wound including a shaftextending parallel with the axis of the core and. axially movable in aplane subjacent the plane containing the core of a wound reel in thesecond position. of the latter, means normally housing a substantialpart of the shaft within the planes defining the opposite ends of: awound reel, the reel bar being of the type that has an end projectingbeyond one end of the wound reel, a rocker arm carried by the portion ofthe shaft outward of theadjacent end of the wound reel, said arm beingswingablethrough an arc intercepted by the. projecting end of the reelbar in its movement with the reel past the means housing the. shaft tothe second position of the reel, gripping meansembodied with the arm andengageable'by the projecting end of the..- reel bar responsive tond. dring n. i i a ns s nt o t-11 versible. means for impar ng axial movementto the hafi and. thus, the, arm. outwardly of the reel extracting the.reel bar from he core, supporting means intermedi te. h first. positionor? theiwound. reel and said shaft for s pporting; a core/of a reel tobe wound, and means for ngin e r er rm o i t l y engage the c ipp means.with the bar and. pera ive after the axial m vement that. extracts thebar from the core, to swing the the last mentioned core and means formoving he la t mentioned core and inserted bar toward the first namedreel position for a winding operation.

I 2.. A winding machine as cla med in claim. 1. in. which h i r e BQQ iI i a plane above the second re l.

position, and the means for moving the wound reel past th m housingtheshaft comprising lowering me ns.

for lowering 'thereel from the first to the 'sec'ond position, includingmeans rockable about 1 the axis of {said shafti 3;-A mechanism forextracting 'a reel-bar from the core 'of a wound reel and for insertingthe said bar into the'core of a reel to be wound comprising reelgripping means mounted for swinging movement between a first positionsubjacent the end of aireel bar to be extracted to and through anintermediate positionin alignment with the bar-to be' extracted to afurther position in alignment with a core to receive the said bar, meansfor swinging the gripping means between said positions, means Operativewhen the gripping means is in the intermediate position for moving thesame and thus the bar axially outward of the reel to extractthe bar,said means for swinging being operative to swing the extracted bar tothe said further position in alignment with the core of the reel to bewound, the said means for moving the gripping means being reversible forinserting the bar by impartingfreverse core inserting movement to thegripping means and thus to the bar and means mounting the gripping meansfor swinging movement coaxial with the line of axial movement.

4. In a roll winding apparatus of the type in which web material iswound about a core having a reel bar therein, the improvement comprisingmechanism for extracting the reel bar from the core of a wound roll andinserting the same reel bar in the core of a roll to be wound, saidmechanism including means for receiving and supporting a wound roll,means for receiving a core of a roll to be wound, said last named meanssupporting the core in a horizontal plane subjacent the horizontal planecontaining the reel bar in the core of a wound roll,

intermediate the supported position of the wound roll and core andextending parallel therewith and below the plane containing the reel barto be extracted, an axially movable shaft, including a substantialportion normally housed within the planes defining the opposite ends ofa wound roll, means for moving a wound roll over and past said shaft toits supported position, an arm extending radially of theshaft, reel barend engaging and gripping means carried at the free end of the arm, saidreel-bar being of the type having an end protruding beyond the end ofthe wound reel, means for turning said shaft and thus swinging said armfrom an initial position in which the bar engaging and gripping means isdisposed below the bar, upwardly to engage and grip the bar, andsubsequently to a position disposing the bar in alignment with the coreof a roll to be wound, reversible means for moving the shaft axiallyoperable after the engaging and gripping means has moved upwardly andengaged and gripped the bar to extract the bar and subsequently operableafter the arm and thus the engaging and gripping means has swung the barin alignment with the core of a roll to be wound to impart reverse axialmovement to the bar and insert the same into the core.

5. A mechanism for extracting the central reel bar from the tubular coreof a wound reel and inserting the extracted bar into the core of a reelto be wound and which reel bar is of the type having a protrudingportion terminating in a grippable end and extending beyond the core ofa wound reel, said mechanism including means for displacing a wound reelfrom a winding position to a supported position, reel bar gripping meansmounted for movement in opposite directions axially of a reel bar, meansfor swinging the gripping means in opposite directions about an axisparallel to the axis of a supported wound reel from a position in thepath of movement of the protruding portion of the bar to an intermediatebar extracting position and then to a bar inserting position, saidgripping means including bar engaging surfaces adapted to engage thegrippable end of the reel bar responsive to movement of the grippingmeans to said intermediate position, reversible means 6 operative whenthe gripping means is in the intermediate position to move the same andthus the bar engaged by the gripping means axially outward of the woundreel to extract the bar,-swingably mounted means for sup, porting theopposite endof the reel bar after extraction thereof, the means forswinging the gripping means being operative to swing the last mentionedswingable means and the supported and gripped reel bar into barinserting positionwhereupon reverse movement of said reversible meansmoves the gripping means in the reverse direction axially of the bar toinsert the bar into a core of a reel to be wound. t i

6. A mechanism for extracting the central reel bar from the tubular coreof a wound reel and inserting the extracted bar into the core of and tobe wound and which reel bar is of the type having a protruding portionterminating in a grippable end and extending beyond the core of awoundreel, said mechanism including means for displacing a wound reel from awinding position to a supported position, reel bar gripping meansmounted for movement in opposite directions axially of a reel bar,means'forswinging the gripping means in opposite directions about anaxis parallel to the axis of a supported wound reel from a position inthe path of movement of the protruding portion of the bar to anintermediate ,bar extracting position and then to a bar insertingposition, said gripping means including bar engaging surfaces adapted toengage the grippable end of the reel'bar responsive to movementof thegripping means to said-intermediate position, reversible means operativewhen the gripping means is in the intermediate position to move the sameand thus-the bar engaged by the gripping means axially outward of thewound reel to extract the bar, swingably mounted means for supportingthe opposite end of the reel bar after extraction thereof, the means forswinging the gripping means being operative to swing the last mentionedswingable means and the supported and gripped reel bar into barinserting position whereupon reverse movement of said reversiblemeansmoves the gripping means in the reverse direction axially of the bar toinsert the bar into a core of a reel to be. wound, said grippingmeansincluding a gripping support, a rocker arm carrying said support, saidengaging surfaces being embodied with said support and adapted to engageand support the grippable end of the bar to be extracted, the means formoving the gripping means axially of the wound reel moving the rockerarm, and the means for swinging the gripping means imparting swingingmovement to the rocker arm and including journalling means for said armmounted coaxially with the line of axial movement.

7. A mechanism for extracting the central reel bar from the tubular coreof a wound reel and inserting the extracted bar into the core of a reelto be wound and which reel bar is of the type having a protrudingportion terminating in a grippable end and extending beyond the core ofa wound reel, said mechanism including means for displacing a wound reelfrom a winding position to a supported position, reel bar gripping meansmounted for movement in opposite directions axially of a reel bar, meansfor swinging the gripping means in opposite directions about an axisparallel to the axis of a supported wound reel from a position in thepath of movement of the protruding portion of the bar to an intermediatebar extracting position and then to a bar inserting position, saidgripping means including bar engaging surfaces adapted to engage thegrippable end of the reel bar responsive to movement of the grippingmeans to said intermediate position, reversible means operative when thegripping means is in the intermediate position to move the same and thusthe bar engaged by the gripping means axially outward of the wound reelto extract the bar, swingably mounted means for supporting the oppositeend of the reel bar after extraction thereof, the means for swinging thegripping means being axially of the bar to insert the bar into a core ofa reel to be wound, said grippingfmeans including {a gripping support, arocker arm carrying said support, said engaging surfaces being embodiedwith -said support and adapted to engage and support the grippable endof the bar to be extracted, the means for moving the gripping meansaxially ot the wound reel moving the rocker arm, the means for swingingthe gripping means imparting swinging movement to the rocker arm andincluding ,journalling means for said arm mounted coaxially with theline-of axialmovement and said'swingable means comprising a rockablymounted bearing bracket in the path of movement of the protrudingportion of the bar operatively coupled for swinging movement with saidrocker arm and adapted to receive and jsupportthe oppositeend of thereel bar during swinging movement of the rocker arm and grippingsupport.

-8. A mechanism for extracting the central reel bar fromthe tubular coreof a wound reel and inserting the extracted bar into the core of a reelto be wound and which reel bar is of the type having a protrudingportion terminating in a grippable end and extending beyond the core ofa wound reel, said mechanism including means for displacing a wound reelfrom a winding position to a supported position, reel bar gripping meansmounted for movement in opposite directions axially of a reel bar, means'for swinging the gripping means in opposite directions about an axisparallel to the axis of a supported wound reel froma position in thepath of movementyof the protruding portion of the bar to an intermediatebar extracting position and then to a bar inserting position, saidgripping means including bar engaging surfaces adapted to engage thegrippable end of the reel bar responsive to movement of the grippingmeans to said intermediate position, reversible means operative when thegripping means is in the intermediate position to move the same and thusthe bar engaged by the gripping means axially outward of the wound reelto extract the bar, swingably mounted means for supporting the oppositeend of the reel: bar after; extraction thereof, the means fors'wingingthe grippingmea'ns beingoperatiye-to swig the last mentioned swingablemeans and the suppented and gripped reel bar into barinserting'zposition whereupon-reverse movement of said reversible;-means;moves the gripping means in the reverse directiorraxially of thebarto insert the bar into a core of areelto-be wound, said grippingmeans including a gripping-support, a rocker arm carrying said support,said engaging surfaces being :embodied with said support and adapted toengage and support the grippable end of the bar to he extracted, themeans for moving the gripping means axially of the wound reel moving therocker arm, the means for swinging the grippingmeans imparting swingingmovement to the rocker arm and including journallingmeans tor-said armmounted coaxiallywith the line of axial movement, said swingable meanscomprising a rockably mounted bearing bracket in the path of movement ofthe protruding portion of the bar operatively coupled for swingingmovement with said rocker arm and adaptedto receive and-supporttheopposite end of the reel bar during swinging movement of the rocker armand gripping lpP0rt,

movable supporting means between the winding position and the supportedposition for receiving a core of a ree'l to be zwound, the position ofsaid movable means being the inserting position and means operativeafter insertion of said reel bar into the core of the reel to be woundfor moving said supporting means and the core and inserted reel thereintoward the winding position so that the core and inserted reel is movedto winding position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

